The Runaway
by hazel260
Summary: Alternate Book 3. Ties in slightly with real thing. OC firebending master for Aang. ON HIATUS.
1. Chapter 1

The girl stepped back from the stream. Golden hair cascaded down her spine with a slight curl. She hadn't brushed it in, "one... two... three..." six days. Six days she counted on her finger tips. Six days she'd been away from Pa Pa. It was too long. But Juni (pronounced JEW-NI, like night) was tough. I'm a fighter, she told herself. I will last.  
The sky was high over head, but Juni was ready for nightfall. She had gotten up before dawn and had not slept much. She was in a small grove thick in fruit trees. The sky was cloudless... but wait. What was that? It looked to be a giant animal, white and fuzzy. But it couldn't be. Juni was alone. Suddenly, there came a noise from the bushes behind her. "Who goes there!" she shouted. It wasn't much of a question. Silence. "I said, who wishes to sneak up upon me!"  
To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

There was the noise again.

"Show yourself!!!" Juni wasn't shouting anymore. The fierce whisper had barely left her mouth as she raised her hands, ready to fight. "Last chance to surrender," the hazel-eyed girl added.

Just then the bushes rustled and out stepped a baby saber-toothed moose-lion.

"Flare!" exclaimed Juni, running forward. Scooping up the little thing, she continued, "You scared me. Don't sneak off, all right?"

Flare was Juni's only friend at this point. She had left her three best friends to live with Pa Pa long ago. Hot tears formed in her brilliant eyes and started to run down her cheeks.

_Pa Pa, why did you lie to me? Why couldn't you have told me the truth? _

He would have said, "The truth hurts," if he was there in that fruit tree grove, instead of back in Ba Sing Se.

Why did Juni leave home, and where did Flare come from? Find out next chapter!


	3. Chapter 2 part 2

The Runaway: chap. 2 part 2

Juni hugged her friend Flare and turned back towards the trickling spring. After walking over to her original spot in the sun, she sat and crossed her legs. She stayed there, thinking, stroking the little saber-toothed moose-lion. _You will grow big and strong someday, Flare_, she thought. _Your antlers will grow and_… Her thoughts trailed off. Would Flare stay with her, even after she was grown and ready to find other saber-toothed moose-lions? Juni stopped herself from thinking any farther. Then the blonde slipped into a flashback.

Juni was little, little enough to be back in her home nation. She was in some school. Probably something like EarthGarten. Juni must have been five then. Somewhere around that time oh so long ago. There were three other little girls, all shorter than she, but still in the NationGarten. One had a long dark brown braid trailing down her back. That one was a bubbly girl. Bubblier than most five year olds, which is _**quite**_ bubbly, actually. Juni remembered her as a best friend. The other two were much taller than the first. They had black hair and did not seem as friendly. One looked tough and bossy; the other sad and, and…different. She look too sad to be five, but Juni realized she was. Wait! There was one more girl. _Me_, thought the hazel-eyed girl. _That's me_. This NationGarten, though, was different than the one she remembered seeing other Earth Nation little ones go to. It was stricter. Tougher. It was…Fire Nation. How could it be? _I'm from the Earth Kingdom_, thought Juni. I was never at FireGarten. Never.

Slipping out of flashback mode, the girl remembered what Pa Pa had told her. It was true. She knew it. She was Fire Nation. And Juni could prove it. Easily.

**Yes, you heard me right; Juni is from the Fire Nation. But how did she end up with the elderly Earth Kingdom man she calls Pa Pa? Find out in chap. 2 part 3!**

**(And for those of you that don't know, NationGarten is like kindergarten, but varies for every nation.)**


	4. Chapter 2 part 3

The Runaway: chap. 2 part 3

_You've been running so blindly, Juni. You need to get your head in the game._ The Fire Nation girl decided she would review everything that had happened in the last seven days. Sunday evening. She was still at home. She'd been in the streets of Ba Sing Se, coming home from an outing with Pa Pa when the elderly man had remembered he had forgotten to buy some cabbage.

"I'll run back and get it," Juni had promised. The walk there was smooth but as she paid for the cabbage, Juni noticed a group of four slightly older boys. They were tall and muscular with broad shoulders and were looking straight at her, smiling. That wasn't a good sign. Gathering her purchases, she managed to fake a smile at the man who sold the cabbages and walked away, trying not to look at the boys. Turning down an alley, a shortcut she had learned many years before hand, she sensed she was being followed. Looking out of the corner of her eye, she once again saw the boys behind her.

"Hey, babe," one said. "What's a girl like you doing out after dark? Wanna get a bite to eat, or will we have to take those perty little cabbages from you?"

Juni whirled around, dropping the cabbages. Loosing all common sense, she glared at the one who had spoken.

"Ooh, she wants a fight, Jet," another had said.

"Than it's a fight she'll get," smiled the leader, presumably Jet. He whipped out a set of swords and assumed a fighting stance. It was the last thing Juni remembered, for at that moment she "morphed". She could never remember anything during the "morphed" stage. Never. When she came out of it, Jet's hair was singed, and he was huffing and puffing. Two boys, including Jet, were left. Where had the others gone? The one who had spoken earlier was stepping back.

"I…er…run!" he screamed, turning to retreat.

"Flin, get back here!" Jet called after him, but Flin didn't listen. He kept running. "You'll be sorry, Fire Girl," Jet added and turned, following his pal, Flin.

Juni ran. She ran the six blocks home. All six. She ran and ran as her hair and eyes turned back to their normal color. _I have to learn to control my morphing_, thought the girl._ It's going to get the Earth Kingdom police on me sooner or later._ In a few minutes, she was back at the clay building she called home. She bent at the knees, taking deep, gasping breaths. Gathering the last of her strength, she opened the door and walked inside. Pa Pa turned from his place at the kitchen hearth.

"Where's the cabbages?" he asked.

"They were out," replied Juni.

Pa Pa raised his grey eyebrows but just shrugged and went back to stirring the potato soup.

**Neat, isn't it? This chp. reveals a TON about Juni's past! Whew! The next chp. is going to be a flashback, as well. I'll post soon!**


	5. Chapter 2 part 4

**The Runaway chp 2 part 4**

(This part is still a flashback…)

After the soup, Pa Pa turned to her, a grave expression on his face.

"I think you should know something."

Juni's head lifted to look up at him. He didn't look so hot. His eyes looked tired, and the wrinkles on his face stood out more than usual. He was worried; she was worried, and she was interested.

Pa Pa set a dried dish on the counter and sat back down at the table, taking Juni's hand. "I have kept something inside much too long, something about you." Juni's face turned white, ashen and pale in the dim evening light. "I had best start at the beginning. Long ago, you lived with your mother and father."

_Oh no!_ Juni thought. _Mommy and Daddy?_

"But you didn't live in Ba Sing Se. You didn't even live in the Earth Kingdom. I'm sorry, Juni. You lived in the Fire Nation."

It was all Juni could do not to cry. She wanted to deny, deny, deny, but she knew Pa Pa was telling the truth. In a way, she had always known the truth.

"Your father was a small government official, and your mother stayed at home growing vegetables and fruits while looking after you. She sold those in town to make some extra money, but she also had a love of painting. But when your father heard about the Fire Nation at war (things like this were kept from the everyday people and small government officials), he was furious. After threatening the Fire Lord, he was put in jail and…I'm sorry…most likely killed" This last part was a whisper, and tears threatened to show themselves in all four eyes of those sitting at the table. "Your mother was locked away, as well, about a week later. But in that short time, she was able to convince some family friends to get you out of Fire Nation lands. That was when I met you. You were put in my care."

Juni's body went rigid. Years ago, Pa Pa had told her Juni's parents were dead but had _conveniently_ left out this part of the story. It was then she remembered, with blurry images, a man being pulled out of a house. A lady crying on her knees, begging them to leave the man alone.

_So that was Mommy and Daddy._

Juni had to say something. No matter how hard it was. "So they left me with my grandfather," she stated, biting her lip in a weak attempt not to cry.

Pa Pa opened his mouth to answer but hesitated.

Juni noticed. "No! But you said I was your granddaughter! You LIED! LIED! I tell you! How could you!" Juni felt like running out of the house. She didn't "morph", though. She was able to control herself. Standing abruptly, she knocked her chair over backwards and stormed to the back of the house into her private room. (Pa Pa had been nice enough last year to give her the bedroom and he sleep on the couch instead) She pulled the curtain closed, wishing she had a door to slam like she'd had in the Fire Nation house.

_Oh great! Now I'm remembering things!_

Late that night, she sealed her fate.

_I am only bringing harm to the people of Ba Sing Se. If ever the Fire Nation over throws the king, they will storm into every house and they _**will**_ find me._

She took an old, brown leather pack down from the hook on the far wall.

She wasn't going to hurt anyone else.

**Bum, bum, buuuuuuuuuuum! Haha. Well, I'm sorry if this doesn't make much sense so far, but the Aang Gang comes in next chp, so things are really going to start HEATING up! Hehe…foreshadowing!**


	6. Chapter 3

**The Runaway chap. 3**

The avatar, Katara, Sokka, and Toph were once again riding on the big, lovable Aapa.

"I'm so glad you were able to find Aapa, Aang," Katara said. Aang smiled. He was happy to have the flying bison back.

"Yeah, now that we're off the ground again, I'm sooooo happy," replied Toph, rolling her eyes.

"Let's go get the Fire Nation!" cried Sokka, punching the air like he had just boomeranged Zuko in the head.

"Sokka, we can't just go storming in there. It's a death sentence," said the water bender.

"You can go, Sokka. We won't miss you," said the blind girl, smiling.

"Anyways, Aang still has to learn fire bending," Katara added.

The avatar said nothing, focusing on guiding Aapa. Not that they had a place to go. On the great plains just northwest of Ba Sing Se, the "fearsome four" (named by the water tribe warrior, of course) flew quietly for an hour: Katara watching Mo Mo fly around the great, white beast; Aang directing the flying bison; and Toph gloomily wishing they were walking again. Sokka at first thought of beating the Fire Nation, but soon his thoughts wandered to Suki and her lovely smile.

Meanwhile, near the outer wall of Ba Sing Se, Zuko and Iroh were planning their escape.

"I don't like this city," complained Iroh, standing with his back against the inner side of the wall. "Do we have any tea?"

Zuko narrowed his eyes but did not answer.

"You need to keep up your strength, Prince Zuko. If you want to still catch the avatar…"

"Enough!" whispered Zuko violently. "Never mind the avatar. We must get out of this prison of a place."

Iroh let the subject drop and began thinking of a way out of the city. "It will be difficult to leave," he had said earlier. "No one wants to leave a place with so much prestige like Ba Sing Se. We will have to find an exit of some sort, Prince Zuko. Just not the ones the merchants use. We are too noticeable there."

The two refugees crouched at the base of the wall, deep in thought. They were ready to leave, even if they didn't know how to yet. The night before, Zuko had put their few belongings in two small packs, along with about two days' supply of food. That is, if they ate very little in those two days.

"Ah ha!" cried the prince a little too loudly. "I now the exit we must use." His companion was interested. "Where the drill broke through (of course he is referring to where his royal-pain-in-the-neck of a sister had tried to drill into Ba Sing Se, through the great outer wall), they are repairing it. That is our exit, Uncle."

Iroh smiled at his nephew's genius for a few moments. Then the proud grin disappeared from his face. "They have guards there tonight. Every night."

Zuko turned to look at his uncle. He shot Iroh a look, telling him he felt insulted and did not like being called stupid. "I know this, Uncle. That is why we leave this evening, right before the workers go home.

"There are guards then, too, Prince Zuko, making sure the workers do their job."

Zuko turned back towards the wall, tracing the small cracks with his finger tips. Then he added flatly, "That's why we are leaving today."


	7. Chapter 3 part 2

**The Runaway chap. 3 part 2**

A few hours later, just before quitting time, when all the workers would go home for the night and the guards switch shifts, the Fire Nation prince and retired military officer snuck up to the gigantic hole in the Ba Sing Se wall.

"Look at these commoners," whispered one guard to the other, "toiling away in the hot sun. Good thing we aren't them. Ha!"

The second guard smiled. He got his pay tonight.

Iroh picked up some extra tools lying about on the ground. "This is a good idea, Prince Zuko," said Iroh, beginning to work. "They will not notice two extra workers dressed as poorly as the others."

Zuko managed a smile. He knew this was the best plan anyone had ever come up with in the history of the four nations. Following his uncle's example, the prince picked up a shovel, pretending to work while he devised the rest of his plan. He had been studying the habits of the workers; when they could take breaks, for how long, when they went home, when they started their work, etc. He knew they only had about ten minutes to provide a distraction and get out.

But they didn't need to.

At that moment, one of the workers, an elderly man, collapsed on the ground. The guards rushed over. Zuko couldn't look away. He felt like this man was important. The fallen worker was alright, though.

"Now," whispered Iroh.

Zuko and Iroh crept towards the hole in the wall. The guards were examining the man, who seemed to be dehydrated, that's all, and were not paying any attention. Zuko kept his eyes on the man.

_He just, I don't know_, seemed to have a great importance about him, though no other worker had so much glanced up to see all the commotion. The two refugees had made it to the big gap in the Ba Sing Se wall and were just creeping through it as two more guards came running.

_On no, _thought Zuko. _We've been caught._

But they hadn't. These two new guards were pulling the exhausted man to his feet and trying to get him to walk back to the town. That was the last thing Zuko saw before he moved through to the other side of the wall, undetected, Iroh right in front of him. Without so much as an exchange of words, the two headed northwest, away from their past troubles but toward new ones.

* * *

Back in the woods, it was nearly nightfall. Juni decided she would have to go another night eating those nasty fish from the stream. Collecting a few small sticks from the edge of the clearing, she hunkered down between two large rocks. She wasn't going to let wandering eyes see her start a fire, even though there really wasn't anyone for miles.

_Force of habit,_ she guessed.

Taking smaller stones, she made a circle and put the kindling inside. She would have to find some logs to keep the fire going, but she decided to start it right now anyways. With a flick of a finger, smoke rose from the sticks and a tiny flame grew. As she roasted the fish over the fire, she thought, _As long as no one sees the smoke, I am safe._

**Hey, readers! I know this fanfic seems totally confusing right now, but I'm working on it. Hope things will be cleared up in the next few upcoming chapters. Reply with any questions you have, please!**


	8. Chapter 3 part 3 and chp 4

**The Runaway chap. 3 part 3**

"Smoke!" shouted Katara.

"Where!?! Where!?!" Sokka jumped up.

In the last light of day, Aang saw the source of excitement. Smoke. Rising from the fruit grove below. "Looks like we'll make camp for the night," he said, a little worried. _Who was down there?_

"I wonder if they have any food," said Sokka.

"Quiet," Toph put in. "What's everybody so excited about?"

"There's smoke down there, Toph. That means people and warmth," Katara told her, rubbing her arms as if giving herself a hug.

"It means food!" Sokka shouted. "Let's go!"

Aang was quiet. Whoever was down there had some problems of their own to deal with. Why else would they be in the middle of a forest, five days walk away from Ba Sing Se? The flying bison, followed by a puzzled MoMo, descended down to the forest below.

* * *

Juni looked around her and up to the sky as she held a pile of small logs in her arms. She'd heard a shout. A boy's voice. Something about…food? She walked across the clearing back to the fire between the rocks. Piling the newly collected logs by the dying fire (and putting a few in, as well), she thought, _Well, it looks as if I'll have some company tonight. Wanted or not.

* * *

_

Meanwhile, the four travelers had landed near Juni's hiding place.

"Let's find that campfire!" said Sokka, excited and trying to get the others to join in.

"Hey, Twinkle-Toes, you haven't said much. Catagator got your tongue?" Toph punched the avatar softly in the arm.

"Aang, she's--" Katara didn't finish her sentence, for they had just walked into a clearing. There, between two rocks, smoke rose. _The fire_, she thought.

_The fire_, thought Aang. What was going on? Who was here? Taking a deep breath and gathering all the courage he had, he said, "Hello! Any one here?"

No one responded, but around the corner came a little baby saber-toothed moose-lion.

Forgetting all about food (for once), Sokka ran forward, shouting in astonishment, "Foo foo cuddly poofs!"

"Leave!" The voice was loud, scary, and definitely angry. Sokka's body went rigid.

"Sokka," whispered his sister, but the Water Tribe warrior was frozen in place, as if Katara had surrounded him in a thick sheet of ice.

Then, without making a sound, a girl stepped out from behind the two rocks from which between rose the sound of the crackling fire.

* * *

**The Runaway: chap. 4**

The girl had beautiful blonde hair and bright hazel eyes. She was dressed kind of like Ty Lee, but instead of light red it was mainly black, accented with red. The girl looked around fourteen, maybe fifteen. _Who is she?_ thought Katara. The little animal scurried back to the girl, hiding behind her legs.

"Who's there!" Toph asked a little too loudly. In a way, though, it was more than a question. It was an order.

"Get away," the blonde said, her gaze shifting from each person to the other now standing in front of her. First, a bald boy with arrows running down his head, hands, and even feet. Next, a girl, presumably Water Tribe. Then, an Earth Kingdom girl, hands clenched, looking in her direction or, more likely, looking through her. Lastly, a boy. No a young man, dressed in Water Tribe clothing, he looked to be about Juni's age. He looked…frozen. He was too still. He looked to be related to the other Water Tribe member, though. _Brother and sister._ Then, from the bushes behind the new comers came a sound, and out stepped a flying lemur. Flying lemur! Juni had thought those creatures were gone. Extinct. She hadn't heard anything about those animals since…since forever. Since the Fire Nation took the lives of every Air bender. That was it! The boy covered in arrows, he was an Air bender!

"What do you want?" Katara heard the girl ask, gruff but quieter.

"We would like your assistance," said Aang.

The Water Tribe boy came out of his trance. "And some food," he added.

"As long as you don't try to eat that moose-lion like last time," said Toph, snickering. She crossed her arms, obviously uncomfortable in this situation.

"This is Flare," said the blonde. "You must be the avatar."

A wave of shock flooded over Aang. He had had many say this to him before, but it felt different when she said it.

"Yes," he managed.

"Juni," said the girl. It must have been her name. She looked as if she wanted to extend her hand to shake or something, but she didn't. Juni felt awkward. However, she had to say something. "My name is Juni," she repeated. "This is my friend Flare. What is this about eating her?"

The Water Tribe girl found her voice. "It is an inside joke. Do not worry. Sokka won't eat your friend, will you, Sokka?"

Sokka of the Water Tribe.

"What? Oh yeah, so what have you got to eat around here?" asked Sokka. Juni smiled. He was weird but nice, anyhow.

"This here is Aang," said the girl, motioning to the avatar. "This is Toph," she added, gesturing towards the Earth Kingdom girl.

"Yes. Nice to meet you," said Juni.

"And of course you've met my brother," the girl continued, motioning only her head in the direction of the warrior. "My name is Katara."

Juni nodded, taking in everything.

"So how 'bout that food?" asked Sokka again.

"Yes, of course," Juni said, turning towards the fire, "but you must tell me more. I'd love to hear about your journeys, Avatar."

"Sorry that all I have is this fish," said Juni. "There isn't much to eat in this grove."

Everyone nodded. They were just happy to have something on their stomachs. Grimacing, they finished off their share of fish.

"So, this fish, it's great," said Sokka with a fake smile. He sat aside the remains of his dinner.

"So, Avatar, do you remember much about the Air Temple?"

Aang winced in pain of remembering, Monk Gyatso's face appearing in his mind. He shook his head. They knew nothing of this girl, but she knew that he was the avatar just by looking at him. Aang and his companions would have to be careful around Juni.

"Oh!" exclaimed Katara. "I almost forgot to introduce MoMo." The Water Tribe girl patted the flying lemur on the head, MoMo making clicking noises.

"Speaking of forgotten animals, where's that big furry one we're always flying on?" asked Toph, smiling because she was first to remember.

Aang took out his bison whistle. The four had left Aapa a little ways from here, where the trees didn't grow so closely together and he could lie down without squashing any.

The avatar blew the white, soundless whistle and Juni heard, no felt, a rumbling, coming closer.


	9. In Which No One Can Stand Each Other

**The Runaway chap. 4 part 2**

Juni sat, her back against a large tree. The newcomers, Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and their creature friends were all asleep. Earlier, she had realized the rumbling had been the giant flying bison, or Aapa as they called him, making his way towards the group. The large thing took up most of the clearing, so the four had decided to sleep on top of him (along with MoMo, of course). The only thing Juni could see was the rocks, the now extinguished fire, and the surrounding trees. She could not see, although she could hear, the tricking stream on the other side of Aapa. She did not feel comfortable with these strangers. The last strangers she met had been those boys: Jet, Flin, and their friends.

* * *

Toph was quiet. She knew someone else was awake. She could hear their breathing, not as soft and steady as the others. _It must be Juni_, she thought. Her breathing sounded different than the others' did. _She doesn't trust us. Good, I don't trust her. _Toph thought about what she had witnessed earlier. Juni's movements were rigid and tough. She couldn't be that much older than she, but her presence was much stronger than someone would think a girl's that age would be. Toph had to get some sleep, but she couldn't, not when Juni was awake and waiting for the right moment to… to what? Toph hadn't found any weapons earlier but who knew? _Go to sleep_, she thought. She was too tired. Soon, Toph was in a deep sleep, dreaming about her parents at home.

* * *

Flare walked over to her friend, curling up next to Juni. The blonde looked down at the moose-lion. Her hazel eyes saw that Flare was already asleep, lying on her back, paws dangling in the air. _If Flare can sleep, so can I. _And she did.

* * *

Morning. The sun shone brightly in Juni's eyes.

"I can't believe it! They left us!"

Juni, rubbing her tired eyes, looked around. Sokka was standing near the rocks, huffing and puffing.

"They left us here to starve!" he cried out again.

"Relax, Boomerang Boy. They just went to get some food. You saw them leave," Toph said, annoyed.

"But that was an hour ago," Sokka pointed out.

"So you think that your sister and Aang would leave us here? Geez, Sokka. You need to take breather," Toph rolled her eyes and noticed the difference in Juni's breathing. The Earth girl turned towards Juni.

"What's going on?" asked the blonde as she stood.

"Katara and that stupid bald monk left us here over an hour ago. We start a fire, they get food. That was the deal. But no! They're not back, and we're going to starve!" Sokka threw up his arms in distress.

_Today is going to be worse than yesterday_, thought the hazel-eyed girl. "Warrior, you need to sit down, like Toph says," Juni said to Sokka.

The Earth girl rolled her eyes. "Yes, Warrior, sit. Warrior? Ha!"

Juni turned to Toph. "Is he always complaining like this?" Toph nodded. "Great. Sokka, they'll be back any second now. I hear their bison."

Toph and the Water Tribe boy turned their faces towards the sky, straining to hear the sound of Aapa, flying towards the clearing. And soon enough, the great white beast was hovering over the group, waiting for a space to land. MoMo made a noise from his place atop the bison as the three moved aside so Aapa could land.

As he touched ground, Sokka roared, "What took you so long?"

Aang leaped down from his perch on Aapa's back. "Did we really take that long?"

Toph nodded again.

"Sorry, Sokka. We didn't mean to be gone that long. Aang and I found a big oasis northeast of here and decided to practice some bending," Katara backed the boy up.

It wasn't until then that Juni realized with a start, that Katara was a water bender.

"Oh sure, he's the avatar. It's always practice, practice, practice." Sokka stepped towards the monk, raising his arm, hand in a fist.

Juni ran forward.

* * *

**The Runaway chap. 4 part 3**

All of a sudden, Sokka felt his arm being pulled behind his back. He tried to turn to see who his attacker was but couldn't. "Let go!" he cried.

Toph's, Aang's, and Katara's faces were twisted in confusion. Should they help Sokka? What was Juni doing, anyways?

"Relax, boy. It's just me," cautioned the blonde.

"Well, what are you doing?" asked Sokka.

"You need to relax. Now, breathe in and breathe out. Slowly," she instructed.

Sokka did so.

"Good," said Juni, letting go of Sokka.

He stalked over to a tree as Katara got down off the bison with MoMo in her arms.

"What was that about?" she questioned as Flare came out from her hiding place in a nearby bush.

"Nothing," said Juni, taking the handful of fish from the avatar's left hand. "Come, Flare. Breakfast time."

* * *

The five joined together a little while later, still fuming slightly from the argument.

"These fish are much better than the ones from the stream," stated Juni, trying to get the others to calm down.

"You bet they are." Toph smiled for the first time.

"Yeah, thanks for the fish," Sokka grumbled.

"I was thinking," started Katara, "that we could fly to the oasis on Aapa this afternoon. That way, we could eat some more of this fish, and we'll be farther from Ba Sing Se."

Ba Sing Se. The words filled Juni's head, swirling in a mass of violent colors.

Toph sensed Juni's discomfort and tried to change the subject. "So…that sounds like a good idea. Hey, Twinkle-toes, say something."

Aang stared down at his half-eaten fish. "Sure."

An hour later, everyone boarded the giant bison.

"So how far did you say this place was?" asked Toph, wanting to stay on the ground. Aapa lifted into the air, anyways.

"Not very," replied Katara. "It's just west of here."

The group didn't talk for another half hour or so.

"We'll have to land here, in this clearing," pointed out Aang. "The oasis as plenty of space for Aapa to lie down, but it's difficult for him to land while carrying all of us."

Sokka agreed quickly. The group decided that Juni, Toph, and Katara would walk with Flare, while Aang and Sokka would take MoMo and fly on the bison. Landing, the group parted, going separate ways.

* * *

Sokka and Aang flew in silence, not wanting to bring up what had occurred this morning. Aang concentrated on guiding Aapa, and Sokka half watched MoMo fly around and half thought about Juni. She was so weird. So hostile. So tough and…perfect. He couldn't believe it. Knowing only a girl's name fascinated him. He had to find out why this girl was out in these woods.

* * *

Meanwhile, Zuko and Iroh were walking away from Ba Sing Se. They needed to get to the woods farther west quickly, before nightfall. They needed cover, but to get to the woods from their location, it would take another three and a half days' walk.

"Uncle, how much farther until we get to the Dahlia Wealds?" asked the fire boy.

"Prince Zuko, you asked that same question yesterday. We should really stop for some--"

"There is no time for tea!" Zuko shouted, turning on Iroh.

"I was just going to add that we are as safe here as we are anywhere else on this barren land."

Zuko looked to the horizon, which appeared to be just the same as the land they were now walking on: dry, dusty, and uninhabited.

"We must turn west now, Prince Zuko. We have gone north enough."

Zuko turned 90˚ to his left, and then saw it. "Ostrich horse!" he almost shouted. There, only a few hundred yards away stood two ostrich horses, alone and waiting. "How did we not see those before!" continued the excited Zuko.

"Our luck," said Iroh, "may have just taken a turn for the better, my nephew."


	10. Visitor, Suspicion, and Discovery

**The Runaway: chap. 4 part 4**

Toph, Katara, and Juni, along with Flare, walked west, the blonde deep in thought.

_Okay. Put the pieces together. Aang: avatar and air bender. Sokka: Water Tribe, weird, funny. Katara: sister of Sokka, water bender. Toph: Earth Kingdom, strong opinionated. MoMo: Aang's flying lemur. Aapa: avatar's flying bison._

That was when she realized Aapa had been the big, white, flying cloud-like object in the sky Juni had seen yesterday. When she had thought she was 'alone'. The girl with hazel eyes continued in silent thought until Toph stopped and raised her hand.

"Someone is coming from our right," she said.

Juni strained to listen. Nothing. Not a sound. How did Toph know about this 'someone' coming their way?

* * *

Zuko and his uncle rode through the forest. It was nearly sundown. 

"We are making such good time on these ostrich horses," said Iroh. "We are lucky you found them."

Zuko said nothing. Who did these belong to? _Well_, he told himself, _if these animals belong to Earth Kingdom soldiers, I'm glad we took them_.

"Wait, Zuko, I dropped my bag," said Iroh, stopping his steed.

Zuko pulled on the reins and looked over his shoulder. "I hear running water, Uncle. I'll wait ahead."

Iroh nodded, and Zuko rode off.

* * *

Juni heard water, running water, and thought: _waterfall_. She couldn't hear any footsteps over the sound, though. The enemy would sneak up on them. 

Suddenly, the trio was standing in a clearing, larger than the first, with a waterfall and oasis on the far side, sand surrounding it. But, coming from the trees to the east, stepped out of the jungle an ostrich horse. On top: a rider. A Fire Nation rider.

Katara had seen him, too. "Zuko," she told Toph. The two girls assumed a fighting stance. All of a sudden, a big earthen wall appeared to Toph's left.

"I'm warning you, Zuko."

_What? Toph a bender. An earth bender? Wow. Didn't see that one coming._

"Leave now and we won't make any trouble," Katara continued.

_Zuko_, thought Juni. _I know a Zuko_. She stayed still. Would the prince notice her? Flare stood at her side; she was not afraid, either.

"I don't want a fight," said Zuko calmly.

"Sure!" said Katara sarcastically.

"Don't worry, Fire Nation, we won't hurt you…much." Juni looked up. It was Sokka who had said this. He and Aang, with the flying lemur, were landing on the western side of the oasis. Sokka jumped down, pulling out his boomerang.

"Sokka, no!" Juni screamed, running towards him. He just couldn't hurt Zuko. Anyone but Zuko.

"What? What do you mean 'no'?" he said, his sleak boomerang still raised in the air.

Holding his arm down, she turned her head towards Zuko, mouthing "go quickly".

The prince turned back in the direction he had come and didn't look back. Juni let go of Sokka's arm and he put his boomerang away, giving her a terrible look. The group went to bed quickly after an early dinner, the sky a pink-purple color. No one spoke.

* * *

Late that night, Juni awoke to talk. 

"We can't trust her," she heard Sokka say. "She's on Zuko's side."

"Maybe she had a reason," said Aang.

"It couldn't be a good one," replied Toph.

Aang shrugged. She was probably right.

Juni looked to her left, keeping her back to the conversation, and saw that Katara's sleeping bag was empty. The waterbender wasn't saying anything. Maybe, just maybe, she could trust Katara with her precious secret. A secret she had told no one else.

"So it's settled. We keep an eye on her. Otherwise, we get some sleep," said the avatar. "Dawn is in only a few hours."

* * *

**The Runaway: chap. 4 part 5**

"What's wrong, Prince Zuko?" asked Iroh as his nephew rode back into the woods.

"It's Juni," said Zuko, remembering the girl only two years younger than him.

"Juni?" Iroh said confused. "What is she doing out here?"

The two refugees remembered the Fire Nation girl:

Zuko was back in second year at the Royal Fire Academy. Juni, Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai had been in FireGarten at the time. Juni was different than the rest of his sister's friends. For one thing, Juni didn't have some special ability. She was like every other girl at the Academy. Second of all, she didn't hate Zuko. She had been more of Zuko's friend than Azula's. Zuko remembered that the blonde had always snuck away early from his sister and Mai, joining Zuko in private. They would play for hours; feeding the palace turtle-ducks or him helping Juni with her studies, even. Her best friend had been the bubbly girl Ty Lee. Juni's father had been a small government official. Then, the next year, Juni was gone. She had disappeared. The now first year Azula had spread nasty rumors saying that the blonde's father had found out about the war, kept secret from commoners and small government officials, and rebelled against the Fire Lord. He had been taken away by soldiers, her mother a week later. Juni had not. Juni had escaped.

Now, Juni was back in his life. Where had she been all these past nine or so years? Why was she with the avatar now? Whose side was she on?

Zuko shook his head as if to rid his mind of such a stupid question. _She's on my side._

Zuko and Iroh tied their steeds to a tree with some rope from their bags. They camped there that night. Zuko did not want Juni to disappear once again.

* * *

The next day, Aang and Toph were working on the avatar's bending. Sokka, keeping his distance from Juni but always looking at her, was sitting on top of Aapa along with the flying lemur, mindlessly (and carelessly) flinging his boomerang around. Flare lay on her back, basking in the warm sun as she slept. 

It was Juni's eighth day away from home.

Katara was just about to join Aang and Toph when Juni motioned her over. Sokka sat straight up, more alert. Katara sat beside Juni on a fallen tree.

"I need to talk to you," Juni started.

"Yes, talking would be good," replied the water bender.

At this time, Juni realized that the girls from her memory had been her best friend Ty Lee, along with Princess Azula, and Mai. Juni told Katara everything, and she'd never felt more relieved (okay, she did leave out the part about being a fire bender and the part about Jet, but she wasn't ready to admit those things to anyone).

When Juni had finished, all Katara could say was, "Wow."

Juni looked at her feet. Maybe she shouldn't have told her.

"So that's why you helped Zuko. That explains a lot."

* * *

Sokka saw Juni's lips moving for what seemed like forever. He couldn't hear her, though. Katara kept nodding her head; the two seemed like friends. Then, the blonde looked at her feet, and his sister started talking. 

Juni, looking like she was about to cry, stood, and Sokka could hear her say, "Don't tell a soul."

Katara nodded again, going to join Aang and Toph for some practice. Juni crept off into the grove with Flare and didn't return until noon. When she got back, the five companions ate a mid-day meal and began to talk.

Katara immediately went into a story about Aang water bending that morning when he had sent up a huge wave. As it crashed back to the surface of the pool, fish had flown out and hit him in the face.

Toph then told everyone about how Sokka, still mindlessly flinging his boomerang, had hit her in the back of the head. Everyone laughed at that for a while.

Regaining composure, Juni blurted out with a giggle, "Man, you should have seen that one coming!"

Toph looked at her feet. "No, I shouldn't have," she said. "I can't _see_; I thought you knew."

Juni was automatically confused. How couldn't she…_oh, monkey feathers_. That was when Juni understood: Toph was blind. "Oops."

"No, I should have just come out and said it. I can _feel_, though. I sense vibrations in the earth, so I can tell where people are."

Juni thought for a moment, then asked, "Is that why you could tell Zuko was coming?"

Toph nodded, adding that, however, she couldn't tell who was coming sometimes. It was Juni's turn to nod.

Finishing up the meal of Se Tu fish, the group parted. Juni took Flare over to the fallen tree, Aang and Katara watched MoMo fly around the clearing, and Toph and Sokka immediately got into a fight over whether or not they should stay here one more day.


	11. Stupid Surprises and Cold Water

**Hi-a, every1! sry its been a while. i promise ill make more time 4 postin The Runaway in my life from now on!! really!**

**The Runaway: chap. 5**

"You're like the Fire Nation, Toph!" shouted Sokka as he stomped away. "You won the battle but not the war."

Toph smiled. It was decided; the group would stay until tomorrow morning, instead of leaving that evening. She had gotten her way.

"Looks like you lost that one, warrior," Juni joked as Sokka sat on the fallen tree beside her.

"Ha, ha. What do you say to a little exploring?" he asked with a crazy grin. Juni stood up, waiting for Sokka to lead. The boy got up and headed into the jungle. She followed. After a few minutes of walking, Sokka stopped.

"What?" Juni asked.

Sokka whirled around, kissing her on the cheek. As he pulled away, Juni's hand flew to the side of her face.

"Nothing," mumbled Sokka, running back the way they had come.

* * *

Zuko had been watching. He'd heard Juni tell Katara her story. So she did remember. He smiled. Zuko had missed her company.

The problem was that he had just also witnessed this newest event. What was that idiot Water boy doing?

_He doesn't know Juni like I do_, thought Zuko.

The prince left his position in the ferns to join his uncle on the east side of the oasis in the trees for some mid-day tea and biscuits.

"What's bothering you, Prince Zuko?" asked Iroh after taking a sip of his tea.

"Nothing," his nephew grumbled.

"You know, it isn't healthy to keep things locked up inside you. They'll get out eventually and ruin all you have worked for," Iroh chided him.

"WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM!" Prince Zuko became agitated. "Keep you nose out of my fire," he added, putting the last bites of his biscuit in a pocket. Zuko drank the tea quickly and left to continue his spying.

* * *

Juni stood still in the grove. She was alone. What had just happened? _You can't mean to tell me…_, Juni stopped the thought dead in its tracks. She must **not **think about it. Then she heard a shout.

"MoMo!" It sounded like Katara.

Juni ran back to the pool. The first thing she saw was MoMo in a tree making terrified noises. She followed the trunk of the tree towards the ground. Underneath stood Flare, reared up on her front paws, snorting at the flying lemur.

"Flare, bad girl. Get over here," said the blonde. Flare followed orders, hopping down from her position under the tree and walking, head down, towards Juni. "Sorry 'bout that," Juni added. "I don't know what got into her."

MoMo hopped down from the tree onto Toph's shoulder. Glaring at one another, the two benders turned, going to separate sides of the sandy beach: Toph to the eastern; Juni to the western.

Zuko was out of luck.

* * *

Zuko watched all afternoon, but as the sun set, the prince fell asleep. Juni, he'd observed, had spent her time drawing circles in the sand, Sokka and Katara chitchatted, Aang played with the lemur, Toph waded ankle-deep into the pool, daring to go no farther, and the moose-lion cub sat at Juni's side, making puzzled faces at the sand that was her canvas.

* * *

Sokka pretended to talk to his sister, but he was really thinking about what he had just done.

_It was stupid_, he told himself. _If Suki ever finds out she will kill me_.

Sokka tried to think of a word to describe his actions but came up with nothing.

* * *

Soon it was very late and the group had not eaten. Aang decided that they would all take their rations to bed with them, that way everyone could just go straight to sleep. The five ate and then went to bed.

Juni slept for a few hours, but around midnight, she awoke and could not fall back to sleep. Climbing out of her sleeping bag, she dipped her fingers into the water of the pool. Undressing, she climbed in, wearing only her white under shorts and tank top.

She soaked for the longest time before she heard a twig snap. Whatever was coming was heaving.

She looked over at the sleeping bunch. Aang, Katara, Sokka, MoMo, Toph, Flare, Juni's empty sleeping bag, and Aapa.

The gang was all here.

* * *

**The Runaway: chap. 5 part 2**

The water had been warm only a few minutes ago, but now it seemed as cold as ice. Juni listened carefully.

_Don't make me bend_, she pleaded in her head. _Please. That is the last thing I need_.

Turning around in place, Juni looked to see who might be coming. Not from the east, south…that's when she felt it, gripping her shoulder from behind. The hand was warm, burning hot. Juni struggled under the pressure of the hand.

"Relax," said a familiar voice from behind. The hand dropped from her shoulder. Juni slowly turned slowly.

"Prince Zuko!" she tried not to shout. "What are you doing here?"

"I was in the neighborhood, decided to stop by for a visit," he said without any facial expressions.

Juni's bright teeth blinded the prince for a moment. He hadn't seen her in so long. If only he could just…_Oh, never mind_, he told himself. _That would never happen_.

"So, what _really_ brought you here?"

Zuko shook his head; it was a long story. So he began. "After you disappeared, Azula started spreading nasty things about you."

Juni hopped out of the lagoon. "Like what?" she asked.

"About your parents. That they had been taken away." Juni nodded, as if to say the rumors were right. Zuko continued. "I waited and waited, but you never came back. Eight and a half years. Do you know what it is like to wait eight and a half years for someone? Never knowing?" The Prince didn't wait for an answer. He continued, explaining how he had been banished from his own home and had ever since been searching for the avatar.

"He's here, you know. Why not now?" Juni looked concerned. _Banished_, she thought. _It must feel terrible_.

Zuko shook his head.

Juni started to tell her side of the story. "Well, one day after my father was taken away, my mother handed me a scroll bag and took me just outside the city, handing me to a lady with bright blue eyes and light brown hair. She told me it was time to play a game, but I was old enough to know this was a lie. I hid in the back of her wagon, underneath some musty straw. From there, I was given to so many people that I lost count. Eventually, I was brought to Ba Sing Se and given to an old man…" Juni stopped, bringing her knees to her chest and holding them there, like they would runaway in fear. "PaPa was very nice to me…I lived with him until recently."

Zuko asked, "How recently?"

"About eight or nine days ago," answered the blonde as she stared at her feet.

"Why did you leave?" questioned Zuko, squatting down.

"I was so angry when he told me about my past. I couldn't believe it, but…I knew he was right. I remember it all. Even the house. Even when they took…Daddy. Wait back up!" said Juni, turning her head towards the banished prince. "Azula says Mommy was taken?"

All Zuko could do was nod. Juni stared at her feet again and continued her story, telling about her departure of the Earth city (via cabbage cart after nightfall) and even about Jet and his friends.

"I met the Freedom Fighters once. Didn't like 'em myself," said Zuko.

Juni nodded, listening to his voice, tougher than the last time she had heard him speak, yet softer, easier.

"Listen," added Zuko, cupping her chin in his hand, "you can come along with Uncle and me. The avatar does not need you, nor do you need him. Come on, Ju. You and I can do some stuff. Adventure, discovery, anything. Just come, Ju."

The hazel-eyed girl heard him. Oh, how she wanted to go but…could not. There was a reason she met the avatar. There had to be. And Prince Zuko didn't know everything. Not yet.

Juni shook her head. Zuko, looking crushed and disappointed, stood. With a mere nod, a good-bye sort of nod, he turned back towards the woods and left. It took all of Juni's energy to pull herself back to her sleeping bag, where she cried herself to sleep.

* * *

**kk soooooooooo, ooooooooooooooooooooo mysterious! well, i hope things r really startin 2 clear up about the connection between Juni and Zuko. the dramma really builds up in the next 2 chps n a lot happens, so stay tuned! also, please please please review! the more feedback (either likes or dislikes), the better i can make this fanfic 4 u readers! hey, ill even take a few predictions if u like!! :D  
hazel260 **


	12. More Surprises and Hot Water

**Good morning! or afternoon. or evening. or night, if u should probably b sleepin instead of readin fanfics. anyways, just wanted 2 pop in n say hi. sadly (n pls tel me im wrong here), i dont think this chp is all that good, but its essential 2 the next 1 so yah. read it anyways. maybe ill find a way 2 make it better l8r, maybe i wont. depends on how lazy im gonna b. right now, my lazy-meter is bout 2 break in a combo of spring fever n pure procrastination. ive got 2 much 2 do n no drive. none. i hope some reviews will give me some creative juices 2 work off of, cuz ive bout sucked my _Juicy Juice_ box dry. ;D**

**The Runaway: chap. 5 part 3**

"Rise and shine!" yelled Sokka in the morning light. "Time to get up. Out of bed, you lazy seals. We move on today!"

Juni opened her tired eyes and took in the scene. Katara and Aang were up, loading Aapa with bags and supplies. MoMo flew around Sokka, who was banging the dead log with two sticks like a drum. Only Toph and Juni still lay in bed. Flare was nudging the blonde in the ribs. Toph was shouting, "Knock it off, Boomerang-Brain!"

Juni sat up in her sleeping bag, rubbing her eyes. Reaching, she grabbed her clothes from beside that enchanted pool and dressed, leaving Toph the last one up. Eventually, Juni and the water bender had to stand the loud earth bender up themselves, shuffling her over to the awaiting bison.

They flew for about two hours without much talking in the group. The five landed farther west from the lagoon, long before noon. Here, there was only a tiny spring with no Se Tu fish. After an early lunch, Katara set off to explore. Beyond the many birches was a cave. The Water Tribe girl entered the large cavern. It was dark inside and hard to see. Katara thought she heard a sound other than the constant, tiny _drip-drips_ of water but decided it was the wind.

* * *

Back at camp, Juni was helping Aang set a fire with the wood Sokka had just brought back. Toph was at the spring, filling a canteen with water. Flare and MoMo danced around her. They seemed to be playing a game of tag, chasing each other in a circle around her legs. Juni deemed it to be good that they were finally getting along.

Sokka and Aang turned away. This was her chance to light the fire, and she did. Aang turned around.

"Look, Sokka, Juni already has a fire going." A big smile took over his entire face.

"I don't know how she does it," the Water Tribe warrior grumbled.

Just then, everyone heard a piercing scream come from the north side of camp.

"Katara!" yelled Sokka, running towards the sound. But before he could get to the edge of the clearing, his sister ran towards the group. Juni knew something was wrong.

Following her into the clearing was a big platypus bear! Toph stood up, immediately performing a bending move. In front of the animal appeared a giant, earthen wall. The platypus bear stopped just in time, nearly running into it. Confused, he turned to his right, and Toph sent up another rock wall. The platypus bear did a 180, turning to face the eastern side of camp. This time, Aang sent up a wall, cruder looking than the blind girl's but still a wall. The only place left for the creature to go was north, towards his cave. And so the platypus bear did.

The water bender huddled on the southern side of the clearing.

"Are you okay, Katara?" Aang asked. She seemed quite upset.

Taking a deep breath, Katara stretched to her normal height. "Oh, yeah, of course. No harm done. I'm fine." Aang smiled at seeing her sentences become more and more structured.

"All this fighting has made me hungry," stated Sokka, calm again.

"Shut-up!" shouted Toph and Juni in unison. They turned towards one another and smiled, together. _Okay_, thought the blonde, _rough start but we're cool. For now_.

* * *

Zuko had almost jumped out of the bushes. He wasn't about to let a platypus bear near Juni.

Iroh and the prince had followed the flying bison to the avatar's new camp. It had taken them a little longer on ostrich horse, though.

Juni had said no to coming with him, but…Well, she _had_ hesitated. Wasn't that good enough?

He couldn't let her out of his sight. He just couldn't.

Zuko remembered his time in Ba Sing Se. The Jin girl had been nice, but he wasn't ready for a relationship. Or was he?

Juni was beautiful. Back in second year, she had just been a friend. But now, he wanted more than that. He felt like he couldn't leave the blonde alone.

_If only she was a fire bender_, thought Prince Zuko. _Then she would have an excuse for coming with Uncle and me. Why do I need her so?_

* * *

Juni, Sokka, and Aang went to get more wood around dusk while Katara and Toph had gathered a few berries to go with the left over Se Tu fish. After dinner, as the group climbed in bed, Juni had an idea.

"That's why he attacked," she reasoned. "The platypus bear's favorite dish is Se Tu fish. We have some and have been eating them for the past couple of days. The little guy was just hungry."

"Little guy?" Sokka burst out laughing.

"How did you know that, anyways?" asked Katara.

Juni shrugged. Sometimes she hated being smart.

* * *

**The Runaway: chap. 5 part 4**

Day ten away from home. _Wow_, thought Juni.

Katara, Sokka, and Toph left to see if they could find any food. That left Aang and Juni, along with the three animals, alone. Aang put a few more sticks in the pile and dusted off his hands. Standing, he walked over to the blonde, who was sitting on the ground, scratching the moose-lion's stomach.

"Thanks," said Aang.

"Whatever for?" asked the hazel-eyed girl.

"The other day, when Sokka was angry at me, you stood up for me." He paused. "Where did you learn that calming technique?"

"What are you talking about, Avatar?" She stopped scratching Flare, flicking her head to look towards Aang.

"You told Sokka to 'breathe in; breathe out'. Where did you learn that?"

Juni's eyes widened. She didn't even remember using that phrase. At first. But when she realized what she'd actually said, the answer came instantly. Juni had learned of that exercise back in FireGarten; back in the Fire Nation. A man, an older man, had told her of it; used it on **her**. Juni had been very strong-headed then. She still was. But for some odd reason, she was comfortable with the avatar. Almost too calm.

She told Aang her story.

* * *

Aang nodded the whole time. He couldn't believe what she was saying…or what she had been through. It was amazing. Then she stopped.

_She's done_, thought the avatar. _She's going to want me to say something_. But Aang couldn't think of anything. Who knew an average girl like Juni could be so…not average? Suddenly, Aang realized Juni was no where close to "average"; she was her, her own creation. Juni might have seemed edgy, bossy, or even mean, but like Toph, she had a reason: she needed someone.

Aang was opening his mouth to talk when the Water Tribe siblings and blind girl emerged from the forest, empty handed.

"Se Tu fish tonight!" said Aang with a wacky grin that didn't fit the scene.

"Hope the bear runs after you this time, Sokka," joked Toph. Everyone laughed at that one.

* * *

_I know who taught her that_, thought Zuko, leaving his post in the bushes to join Iroh for lunch. _Uncle did. Uncle taught Juni how to deal with anger. How to control your emotions_.

Zuko couldn't believe she remembered, and upon hearing her story for the third time, it just seemed to get more amazing with each telling. As he sat down across form Iroh, the prince realized she had left out the part about Jet to both the avatar and Katara.

_She trusts me_, he thought. _She trusts me more than anyone else_.

* * *

"What is the matter this time, Prince Zuko?" asked Iroh.

His nephew had been acting strangely ever since they had arrived in the Dahlia Wealds and Zuko had gone to the oasis. The prince was quiet.

"The wolf-owl does not hoot and howl just to hear itself, my nephew."

_Great_, thought Zuko. _Anther one of his crazy proverbs_. He didn't ask what it meant.

But the pressure, it was too much. Zuko was practically bursting at the seams. He explained what he had found in the clearing with the oasis. Or, I guess, **who** he had found. Juni.

"You mean to tell me you found the little blonde with the fury of a thousand buzzer-wasps? The one who disappeared?" Iroh couldn't believe his ears.

_Earlier, Zuko said that_ _he was worried about Juni. I didn't realize he meant that he had actually found her!_

All Zuko could do was nod.

"Well, Prince Zuko," said the man, standing, "I think I'll go and see the girl."

At first, this comment didn't register. Iroh started to walk away.

_No_, thought Zuko.

"No!!" he screamed, but it was too late. Iroh was already out of earshot.

_Man_, thought Zuko, _he can move fast for such an old man_.

* * *

**k, if u didnt heed my earlier warnin, i barely proof read this thing n didnt make as many changes 2 it as i usually do, cn as i write my 1st drafts w/ minimal grammar, i apologize 4 any let-downs this post may give u. right now i dont know why im even workin on this (4 u guys, of course). ive got the latest _Clique_ book from the library 2day (GASP IS THAT SO NOT LIKE SOME1 WHO WRITES ANIME FANFICS?!) n ill probably finish it in 1 day, unless i show some restraint...so yah thats why im workin on this chpy right now...ok ive added over 200 words on this thing w/ my stupid lil rants (rant rant), so im gonna stop now n just post this flippin thing!!**

**peace-out!**

**hazy-lazy :D**

* * *


	13. Juni Fires Everyone Up

**Hello, readers! Well, I've gotten several comments on how my story is, well, dragging a bit. I know it's reached a slow part in the story. I know you guys want to see why I had Juni meet up with the Aang Gang in the first place. But I also know these slow chapters are essential suspense and you'll see how they'll connect later. What I've considered doing, though, is posting longer chapters. That way, hopefully, I can get through these slow parts quickly and get on with the real part of the story. Review/PM me if you think this is a good idea.**

**The Runaway: chap. 6**

The sun was about 3/4th way across the sky when Toph heard leaves crunching under feet. "Someone's approaching."

Juni believed her this time. Sokka picked up his boomerang, Katara took out some water, and Toph and the avatar took a fighting stance. MoMo made a few clicking noises, and he and Flare sought refuge atop Aapa. Juni joined Toph and Aang, assuming a stance like she did that night with Jet.

Then she heard it; the footsteps, coming closer. They were heavy so whoever was coming had to be big and muscular. This was going to be some fight; a couple of kids against some mighty, ripped guy. _Oh goody_.

She was going to go into "morph" mode. _I can't control it_, she thought. _They'll never trust me again_. But she didn't. Part of her wanted to, though. She never did experience any pain when "morphed".

Then Juni saw feet. Before she could think or even look up to see who it was, the blonde hurled a small fire ball at the intruder. This was their only warning.

Juni heard a small cry of pain and looked up. The Aang gang was staring at her in astonishment. They had all forgotten the visitor. She glanced the way the footsteps had come and froze.

_Uncle Iroh._

Juni ran forward. "Oh, Iroh! I'm so sorry." She stared at her friend, who was on the ground, gripping his arm. His sleeve was burnt.

How did she remember that name?

"Katara, water. Quickly!"

The confused water bender healed Iroh. Moaning, the man stood.

"I thought I told you to call me Uncle, little buzzard-wasp," he said, trying to grin. The group was still staring when Zuko ran into the clearing.

"Uncle, I thought I told you…" He stopped, seeing all of the pairs of eyes on him, taking in the scene.

"Zuko? What are you two doing here?" the hazel-eyed girl asked.

The prince grumbled. It sounded something like "stupid old man".

"Do we have any Se Tu fish left?" Juni asked the staring four.

Aang nodded, taking one from out of one of the packs. Zuko started the fire. Katara pulled the water back into its canteen.

_I guess it's only appropriate that Juni would be a fire bender_, she thought. _She had lived in the Fire Nation for years. She had known Zuko. But she was raised in Ba Sing Se. Shouldn't the man, Papa, she had called him, have taught her to hate the Fire Nation? And the fire benders?_

* * *

Aang didn't understand. Juni had told him that she had spent her earliest years with the Fire Nation prince, but how could she still trust him?

_She knows that they killed the air nomads. She knows we are enemies. And now we know she's a bender; a fire bender_.

* * *

Toph was furious. Juni was a fire bender. She had sensed the heat, and now their newest companion was helping Iroh and Zuko? Toph had just begun to trust the girl but now…

Now Toph realized she was missing a piece to the puzzle.

* * *

Sokka stomped away from the feasting fire benders. How could everyone just stand there while their newest friend, or used to be friend, fed and talked kindly to the enemy? How could he have ever trusted her?

Sokka realized someone hadn't told him something. Someone had left him out of the loop. One thing was for certain: he could never trust the blonde again.

* * *

**The Runaway: chap. 6 part 2**

Juni was stuck "between a rock and an angry earth bender," as Papa used to say.

Aang and Katara looked like they were questioning her judgment, Toph would only glare at the blonde, and Sokka…Sokka was standing, arms crossed, leaning with his back against Aapa. He was ready to get out of here, leave her with the Fire Nation refugees.

"I don't know what you all are so angry at me about," said Juni with her hands on her hips. "You may think they are the enemy, but Zuko is on our side. Uncle Iroh and he are refugees, wanted by the Fire Lord, just like you, Avatar. Katara, he just wants to be accepted by his people once more."

Zuko wasn't sure how to feel. Juni was standing up for him, but the blonde didn't realize these were his **personal** thoughts. He didn't want the avatar to know these things. Or that boy with the boomerang over by the flying bison. He looked ready to hurt somebody.

"Toph," continued the girl, "you and he are not much different. And Sokka…" Juni paused.

_This isn't good_, thought the prince. _The Water Tribe boy and I are nothing alike_.

"Sokka, won't you understand? Won't you trust me?" Juni asked with pleading eyes, putting her hand on his arm.

Sokka pulled away. "NO!" he screamed with all of the anger in the world. "You will never be trusted by me or anyone else except them!" He pointed towards the eating fire benders.

Zuko put down his food. "Let's go, Uncle. We aren't wanted here." With that, Iroh stood and the two refugees wandered off into the Dahlia Wealds, away from their sad fire-friend.

Katara yelled after them, "That's right! You walk away!"

* * *

The group went without dinner that night; Sokka was too angry to complain. Toph and he didn't fall asleep. Juni knew; she couldn't either. Aang and Katara stayed up talking for a few hours on the other side of camp. It seemed they were trying to come to some sort of an agreement. They eventually went to bed, though.

Juni was wide awake, thinking of who she could really count on. Zuko and his uncle had never done anything bad to _her_. She had told Katara and Aang her secret, though. They knew of her dark, sad past. Toph new nothing, which Juni guessed would hurt the both of them in the long run. Sokka wouldn't listen even if Juni told him anyways.

The blonde's eyes suddenly became tired. She struggled to keep them open, but they eventually closed. She slept all too lightly.

* * *

Juni woke up to yet another discussion, or should I say, argument.

"I won't trust her," Sokka was saying, "ever again. I won't go on traveling with her."

"Sokka, for now, we'll have to trust her. We can't just fly off in the middle of the night," said the water bender.

"Yes, we can," said the earth bender. "Can't we, Twinkle-toes?"

Aang said nothing; he couldn't make up his mind.

Aapa groaned, and Juni realized that all of the avatar's friends were awake. They could have left without her knowing if she had been sleeping, like they thought.

Katara asked, "Aang?"

"I don't know!" Suddenly the avatar was shouting. "Why do I always have to make the decision around here? You all have brains. Figure it out yourselves." He walked over to his sleeping bag and without another word, fell asleep.

"We all have to keep calm," said Katara. Neither her brother nor the earth bender responded. "Juni never really did anything wrong," she added.

"Oh, sure, she didn't," Sokka said sarcastically. He climbed upon Aapa's back, and they, too, fell asleep.

Toph was the only one left for Katara to try to persuade.

"She wouldn't want me to tell you this, but it's for the better." Katara started the blonde's story. Juni strained to listen. However, she fell asleep only half way through.

* * *

**All, right, that's that. Hopefully you guys don't mind the suspense. Like I said, it's ESSENTIAL!! But I've written a few chapters ahead of time, and I think I might buy some more _Juicy Juice_ boxes soon. LOL, JK!! But really, I think I'm on the brink of a good chapter. Honestly, I'm due for a really nice one. If my story is really starting to bore you to the point where you're tired of reading, I apologize and I do wish you'd tell me so I know! Thanks.**

* * *


	14. Somehow

**Alright. Another day, another post. Well, hello there! When did you get here?? JK, I knew you were there. Well, at least I hope you're there because then I'd be typing to no one...and talking to no one...and no one would be reading this new chapter!! Oh yeah, and then also it'd be straight-jacket-time and hazy-lazy would be dragged off to the looney farm for talking to the AIR!! I wonder if Aang talks to the air...**

**The Runaway: chap. 6 part 3**

Early afternoon, on day eleven, Juni awoke to the sound of a voice directly above her.

"Wake up, sleepy head. We've got to talk."

Juni opened her eyes. Toph was standing beside her, so she must have been the one talking. Besides Aang, Aapa, and Flare, the two girls were the only ones in the clearing with the stream. Juni, with absolutely messy hair, sat up. Aang was poking at the fire with a long stick, trying to make it grow larger. Throwing back the cover to the sleeping bag, Juni crawled over to the stream and splashed her face with water.

"What did you want to talk about?" asked Juni, even though she already knew the answer. _My past, my bending, how she hates me now. _

"Katara told me about you," said Toph.

Juni turned away, feeling the sting of tears in her eyes.

"You alright?" asked Toph.

"Fine," she said.

"You're lying," said the earth bender. "I can tell."

Juni stopped crying and faced Toph. "How?" she asked.

"I sense the vibrations," replied the earth bender. "I can feel your pulse quicken when you lie." Toph became quiet. The last time she'd determined if someone was lying or not was with…Jet. Toph 'looked' at her feet.

"Hey, let's see what Aang's up to," said Juni, trying to change the subject.

The two benders went to join the avatar and the animals by the fire, but there was no more conversation.

* * *

Sokka, Katara, and MoMo were deep in the Dahlia Wealds when they heard a sound like voices. Sokka put a fingers to his lips, motioning his sister to be quiet and then crept forward. Parting some ferns, he saw Iroh and Prince Zuko around a fire, enjoying a mango each.

"Is she why you came this way, Nephew?" asked the Great Dragon of the West.

Zuko did not answer.

"The leaves are in groups on the trees for…"

"Shut up, Uncle. I don't want to hear another of your crazy proverbs. They're useless!" Zuko had had enough. He was tired, hungry, and longed to be sure that his blonde friend was alright, but he knew another run in with the avatar would give away the fact that he was following them. The prince, however, couldn't decide if he was following them to capture the avatar or to keep Juni close to him.

* * *

The water tribe warrior motioned for him and his sister to back away. He'd heard enough.

"So Zuko is following us!" exclaimed Katara as the siblings walked back towards camp.

Sokka was too furious to reply. They had to get away from the Fire Nation prince. It wasn't safe in the Dahlia Wealds anymore.

* * *

**The Runaway: chap. 6 part 4**

Late in the afternoon of the eleventh day, the group was grouchy and untrusting. Aang, Katara, and the earth bender stood by the stream, the water bender whispering to them what she and her brother had overheard. Flare was in the middle of the clearing, sleeping and basking in the sun's heat. Sokka sat on top of the flying-bison, MoMo on his shoulder, his boomerang dangling from one hand. He stared at the blonde who was sitting, legs stretched out, by the fire, apparently unaware of the rift in the bunch.

(Unknown to Sokka, the hazel-eyed girl was aware of the disturbance.)

How could he just sit there? Zuko was in a fire ball throw's distance away. Not only that, he was following them! Tonight, they had to ditch the fire bender. She was a danger to them all.

* * *

The banished prince crouched down near the clearing. The full moon was high in the sky, and many stars twinkled overhead. They seemed to be winking at him. He watched as Sokka of the Water Tribe woke up his sister, the blind girl, and the avatar, whispering to them as the four huddled in a group near the unlit fire. The only word Zuko caught was Juni's name. Before she did anything else, however, the water bender slipped something into the bushes near the ashes of the fire. Soon, the avatar and his friends, excluding the blonde, had packed up their food and sleeping bags, tossed them atop the flying-bison, and climbed aboard. The flying-lemur following, the group took off, leaving Juni behind. The moose-lion stared up at her departing friends with sad eyes. When they were gone and far enough not to hear shouts or see movement at their abandoned camp, the Fire Nation prince ran from his spot in the trees and shook his friend awake.

"Ju," he said. "Ju, wake up."

Groggily, she turned over. "What?"

"They left. They left you here."

"Quiet," said Juni, sitting up. "They'll hear you."

Zuko shook his head. Juni looked around the camp, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. She jumped up.

"What!" she was nearly screaming. "How could they?" Her voice became louder and louder with each word as she realized Aang and the rest of them had ditched her. "Oh, they're going to get a piece of my mind," she continued. Left hand on her hip, she shook her index finger angrily at Zuko, though he wasn't the one she was mad at.

Zuko put his hand over her mouth.

"We are still not the only ones here," he said. "Do you want Uncle to hear?"

Juni shook her head, and Zuko's hand dropped to his side.

"We have to find them," said the blonde.

Zuko shook his head again. "They don't want you, stupid. They left you here without any food."

Eyes cast down, Juni nodded, understanding what had happened. "Why?" she asked no one in particular. She sat down on a fallen log.

Zuko took the old biscuit from the folds of his robe, handing it to the hazel-eyed girl. She sat back down, munching away.

"Why would—they do that?—I thought—they trusted me.—I thought—I met the—avatar—for—a reason," she said between bites.

Her companion shrugged, taking a seat next to her. Flare walked over to the two slowly, looking pitiful. She snuggled up next to the blonde's feet. Zuko put his arm around Juni.

"Everything will be alright, Ju. It will all work out." He paused, turning his head slightly away from her, like he was looking off into the distance, and then whispered to himself, "Somehow."

* * *

**The Runaway: chap. 7**

Katara rode on Aapa along with Sokka, Aang, and Toph. The only one she understood, though, was the small lemur flying swiftly along beside them. MoMo had never done anything wrong; he was perfect. She was angry that Zuko was following them, but that was no reason to leave Juni behind. The water bender was furious at her brother. He'd wanted to leave her without any food! (Katara had solved that problem, though, hiding a loaf of bread in some bushes near the fire.) All of this just because the girl was a fire bender! Sokka had some nerve.

"We have to stop," said Aang, who was guiding the flying-bison. "Aapa can't see anything in the dark." It was true; the flying-bison had already brushed a few trees with his underside.

"No!" said Sokka, jumping up and nearly falling off the animal. "We have to keep going."

"I'm with Twinkle-Toes. I'd much rather be on solid ground," said Toph.

Katara found her voice. "This is ridiculous! We can't just abandon her. (Everyone knew she was referring to Juni.) She never did anything wrong."

"Oh, yes, she did!" cried her brother. "Zuko's her friend. Zuko's the enemy. Therefore, she is the enemy!"

Aang brought his bison down for a landing in a tiny clearing, knocking down a few trees in the process.

"You can't hate her just because she's a fire bender, Sokka!" Katara was saying. "She's innocent!"

"No, she isn't!" the water tribe warrior countered.

The two siblings went on like that the entire time Aang and Toph set up camp, each insisting he or she was right. Eventually, they both turned away mad and curled up in their sleeping bags.

* * *

Before dawn the next morning, Juni was up and the fire already lit. Just now, she had found a small loaf of bread in the bushes. Did Zuko leave it? Katara? The avatar? Juni did not know.

There was a rustling in the bushes and out stepped Zuko, leading an ostrich-horse. As he hugged her goodbye, Juni said, "They left because I'm a fire bender."

"No, no, no," whispered the prince, looking only slightly downward to peer into her hazel eyes, which were misty with unshed tears. "The avatar must have figured I was following him. Since you stood up for me that day at the oasis and fed Uncle and me, they wrote you off as an enemy, Ju."

With a final, tight squeeze, Juni let go, taking the lead rope of the ostrich-horse from her friend. Zuko watched as she mounted the animal and rode off into the trees as the sun rose. When she had disappeared, Zuko extinguished the fire and went back to his own camp, where he tried (and failed) to fall asleep.

* * *

**Ta-da! Well, there you have it. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE GO TO MY PROFILE AND VOTE ON THE POLL!! Anyways, I've got a bit more air to talk to, so later!! :D**


	15. I Am Strong: The Letter

**OMG "The Western Air Temple" finally aired! (though I'd already seen it online...) I'd been counting down the days, minutes, and hours, doing not much else than think of it, so I'm sorry that it's been a while since a posting. Well, this chapter is dedicated to Zu Zu, his impersonations, and his talking to a frog!**

**The Runaway: chap. 7 part 2**

The avatar and his three friends awoke long after sunrise, the big, yellow ball of fire nearly halfway across the cloudless sky. The water bender and her brother refused to talk to one another as Toph and Aang silently joined them to eat, feeling awkward. After a while, Toph burst out, "Would you two idiots just talk to each other? You're being more stubborn than mule-goats! Say something. Now." Katara sighed heavily.

"Sorry," she said, looking down at her food. Her brother refused to speak. Aang hung his head.

"After all she's told you," said the avatar, still referring to Juni, "you still don't trust her?" Sokka spoke up.

"She hasn't told me anything!"

Katara and Aang quickly exchanged a look, communicating through their eyes.

"Then we better tell you, Boomerang," said the blind girl, and she and Aang began telling the blonde's story together.

* * *

The sun of the twelfth day was to Juni's back, and her mind was wandering to thoughts of Zuko and the ocean, an ocean far away. Shaking her head so that her maize-colored hair tossed to and fro, waving in the breeze, Juni cleared her head and began analyzing what had happened since her departure of the Earth capital.

(1) Found the avatar. (2) Told Katara her story. (3) Found Zuko + told her story. (4) Explained her past to the avatar. (5) Told Toph of her Fire Nation background. (6) Got left behind. (7) Going to find the avatar once more.

Then it dawned on her, just like the sun had dawned on the earth that very morning and every morning before. She had not told Sokka.

* * *

Iroh opened his sleepy eyes. Smoke rose up from the lit fire and a few berries lay in a makeshift basket that he had constructed a few days earlier. Besides one ostrich-horse, the old man was alone. He wondered where and why his nephew was taking a joyride. Then he heard grunts, like someone was working extremely hard…or was angry. Iroh got up and began walking towards the noise with caution. Coming into a clearing, he saw the prince, who, with all his might, and fury of the world, as well, was shooting fire balls in every possible direction. After a few more kicks and jumps, he noticed his uncle and stopped, turning to face his companion. The old man stayed still at the edge of the clearing.

"Uncle, what's wrong?" asked Zuko. _Like I should be asking. He thinks something's wrong with me. He's come to check on me._

Iroh said slowly (and a bit too loudly), "What are you doing, Lee?"

_Lee_. The prince thought, _Why is Uncle using my fake name?_ Then he realized: they were not alone.

* * *

**The Runaway: chap. 7 part 3**

"Nothing, Uncle Mushi," the prince responded, using Iroh's false name.

His uncle's eyes moved left. Zuko raised both eyebrows up and down to signal that he understood. Then they heard a rustling in the vegetation to the west, behind the prince, and a figure sprang forth. Zuko, without turning around, sidestepped to his right. Iroh shot a fire ball right past him where he had, only moments ago, stood, directly at the soldier who had come from the bushes.

For the first time, Zuko turned around and stared down at the soldier, who was sprawled on the earth unconscious. **Fire Nation**.

The relatives made eye contact. In only a few short minutes, the two were riding away on the one ostrich-horse. Behind them, the soldier of fire was hanging from a low tree limb by his own belt tied around his wrists.

* * *

The Ba Sing Se house felt empty without Juni. It was all too quiet. PaPa felt alone, and without the fair-haired girl, life was simply dull.

The elderly man sat at the table with his bony hands held together, fingers laced so that it appeared he was holding hands with himself. They rested on the wooden table as his wrinkled face stared out the window, not really seeing.

Three Earth Kingdom girls, now dressed in Fire Nation black and red, that were just a bit younger than his missing friend walked by the window giggling oh so very loudly. PaPa wished that Juni had been able to make friends here.

_I should have told her earlier_, thought PaPa, _before she became so rebellious_.

Now, the old man was regretting his choices. The first couple of days, he had thought Juni was only off adventuring, maybe with friends, he had thought excitedly. On the third day, he began to get worried; began to question his judgment. If she was with friends, he did not know them, did not know if he could trust them. If she was alone, he could only hope.

The laughter of the pre-teen girls died away. He was not at all concerned that Juni was missing school, for she was a smart girl. The thing was, the Dai Li agents would hear she was not attending her lessons and would come to see what was wrong.

PaPa thought, _Everything is wrong_.

Standing and walking over to the doorway, he pulled back the dark green curtain to Juni's room, the room he had given up for her to have instead of the cot in the kitchen area. The old man touched everything in the room: the pictures hung on the walls, the bed, the dresser, along with the various items on top of it. For the first time, PaPa fully observed the room (before, he had been too panicked about her being missing).

Then he noticed IT. IT was taped to the broken mirror hung on the wall next to the dresser. IT was a note, scrawled in Juni's neat, curving, loopy cursive.

_Dear PaPa,_

_I can't explain everything in this letter. First of all, I'm furious you had not told me these things before. Secondly, I'm sorry. I don't really want to run away; I just don't want to cause anyone any more harm than I already have. It is dangerous for you to hide me here. If the Fire Nation knew, they would come after me, thinking I knew valuable, confidential information. I don't. Please trust me with my decision. I am strong._

_Ju_

Tears fell from his eyes as PaPa held the note firmly in his left hand, splattering the paper. He remembered running through the house the morning after she left, worried, calling, shouting out her name. He was surprised that neighbors hadn't heard and complained.

_I need you, Ju._

If he had recovered the slightest from his accident working at the Ba Sing Se wall, it didn't matter now. Juni was not as strong as she thought.

* * *

**Alright, so we've finally gotten a chance to meet PaPa. I hope you noticed, but this is also the man that got hurt, distracting the guards and allowing Zuko and Iroh to escape through the Ba Sing Se wall. There's a bit of foreshadowing in here, so stay tuned for the next posting (which I'm hoping to do another one soon-ish).**


End file.
